- He stated that discussions on the matter had not taken place before the Eid holiday break
- The court also questioned parts of INEC’s guidelines, including provisions relating to deadlines for submitting candidates’ names
- The differing decisions have generated debate over the status of some provisions contained in INEC’s guidelines
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has not reached a final position on the deadline for political parties to submit candidates for the 2027 general election following recent court rulings affecting its electoral guidelines.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Eko Hot Blog gathered that INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained that the commission has yet to convene a meeting to assess the implications of the judgments and determine their effect on ongoing party primary processes.
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According to Haruna, INEC’s immediate responsibility is to comply with the court decisions while pursuing legal steps to challenge aspects of the rulings it disagrees with.
He stated that discussions on the matter had not taken place before the Eid holiday break, noting that the commission would review the situation after resuming official activities.
Haruna said the electoral body had not yet evaluated the outcome of the various party primaries conducted under the current circumstances.
The uncertainty follows separate judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding the powers of INEC in regulating political party primaries and election timelines.
In one of the rulings, Justice Umar Mohammed held that the commission could not impose requirements on political parties beyond what is provided for in the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the parties’ internal regulations.
The court also questioned parts of INEC’s guidelines, including provisions relating to deadlines for submitting candidates’ names.
However, another judgment by Justice James Omotosho upheld the commission’s authority to issue and revise election schedules, provided such actions remain consistent with existing electoral laws.
The differing decisions have generated debate over the status of some provisions contained in INEC’s guidelines and the impact on preparations for the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, the commission has already approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking to overturn the judgment delivered by Justice Umar Mohammed.
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